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Language Arts

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It is my belief that most schools do not put enough emphasis on the fine arts—such as language arts. In an English class the teacher will focus on reading skills, reading comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. In a language arts class the students should learn to appreciate language as an art. Allow me to explain:

Language is not only the way we communicate, but it is also the way we create a certain type of art, namely the art of language. Yes we do want our students to master the English language itself—but we must also emphasize as much as we can the importance of literary accomplishments throughout the ages. Poetry, plays, song lyrics, screenplays, novels and so on are all included in the language arts.

Language is composed of words—words carry specific meaning—sometimes double meaning. Sometimes a word spelled the same way can have two different meanings in context. So the primary tool of language arts, that is—turning language into art—is words. Let me break it down:

• Words are to the writer what paint is to the painter, they are what the instrument is to the musician, and they are what tone and pitch are to a singer. That is why children must understand that the English is not just what they learn in English class—from the language itself is spawned the language arts.

• The empty page means to the writer what the score of music means to the musician or singer. The empty page is the blank canvas, the untouched page in a sketchbook—the thing that the artist must make to come alive.

• There is a musical technique to language arts that is hard to grasp without providing prime examples of it. The musical technique involved in the art of language is well exemplified by the works of William Shakespeare, but he is one of many. The poem, when read silently or aloud. Should have a certain song about it. For example in a poem by Dylan Thomas, the first stanza reads:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

The poem is about the death of Dylan Thomas father, and there is a beautiful song about it. When you read this poem you can hear the music of it, I would recommend reading the rest of it. The poem is easy to find at the library or on the Internet.

There is technique and beauty to the language arts, form and use of syllables and sounds and the versatility of words. If there is one thing I loved best about high school—it was what I learned about the language arts.

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